BRADENTON BEACH – Lt. Lenard Diaz will serve as Bradenton Beach’s next police chief.
On July 16, the city commission unanimously supported Mayor John Chappie’s nomination for Diaz to serve as police chief. Diaz will step into his new role when current Police Chief John Cosby retires from the police department on Oct. 1.
Chappie said Diaz has been a law enforcement officer for 40 years, has been with the Bradenton Beach Police Department since 2002 and served as the city’s detective for the past 19 years.
When making the nomination, Chappie said, “I believe you’ve all had the opportunity to look at the résumé of Lt. Diaz and also you’ve gotten to talk with him about the opportunity to fill that position. I think he is deserving of a shot. He’s experienced and he knows everybody.”
Chappie noted that when Cosby was promoted from lieutenant to chief several years ago, he appointed Diaz to serve as his lieutenant. “I think it’s a good idea,” Commissioner Ralph Cole said of the nomination.
Diaz will serve a one-year probationary period, which Cosby said is standard procedure for all Bradenton Beach Police Department employees.
During a previous commission discussion, Cosby told the mayor and commission that Diaz wasn’t interested in becoming the new chief.
During the July 16 meeting, Commissioner Scott Bear said, “I think him taking the job is great, but I had a discussion with him and he didn’t originally want the job; now he does. I think in that year he can decide if this is really what he wants. I think the probationary period needs to be part of this.”
Commissioner Robert Talham, who telephoned into the meeting, said of Diaz: “He’s a well-spoken gentleman and we’re lucky to have him. He’s a 24/7 kind of guy.”
Diaz attended the meeting, but he did not speak.
Cosby has been with the Bradenton Beach Police Department for 39 years. After Tom Woodard departed in early 2024, Cosby also began serving as the city’s public works director and he guided the city’s recovery from the 2024 hurricanes. Cosby will continue as the full-time public works director after he ends his policing career, as he decided to do.
